In their second rivalry showdown of the season, Stanford men’s basketball (17-10, 9-7 ACC) edged past Cal (12-15, 5-11 ACC) in a thrilling 66-61 victory Saturday evening. Though the Cardinal built a substantial lead that grew as large as 17 points and positioned themselves for a commanding win, Cal’s late-game resurgence set the table for a dramatic finish.
The return of Andrej Stojaković, former Stanford player and the son of three-time NBA All-Star Peja Stojaković, was a key storyline. Back in Maples Pavilion for the first time since his transfer to Cal, the sophomore guard’s homecoming was met with a chorus of boos. His former teammates, however, did not share the same level of disdain as the crowd.
“Our bond with Andrej is for life,” said senior forward Maxime Raynaud. “At the same time, I’m sure that he hated us for the last hour and a half just because we are competing against each other, but I think that’s what makes it more beautiful.”
“It just kind of reminded me of practice last year,” said redshirt sophomore guard Ryan Agarwal. “Having good times and good competition. It’s just fun.”
Often the case this season, Stanford struggled out the gate. After conceding a 7-0 run to the Golden Bears, Raynaud finally put the Cardinal on the board with an emphatic slam dunk four minutes into the game.
The Stanford offense, however, quickly found its rhythm. Its aggressive defense capitalized on Cal’s poor ball security, while the offense clicked into gear to seize the lead. The Cardinal entered halftime up 28-22, with Raynaud leading all scorers with 11 points and five rebounds, followed by Stojaković with 7 points and 4 rebounds for Cal.
Stanford opened the second half with an 8-0 run, highlighted by 5 points from Agarwal. The defense, which had forced eight turnovers in the first half, added two more before Cal managed to score its first basket. Continuing their strong play, the Cardinal maintained control for much of the second half, building their lead to 17 points.
Desperate to shift momentum, the Bears’ defense implemented a full-court press — and it worked. Amid a string of Stanford turnovers and missed opportunities, they capitalized with a 14-0 run, cutting the deficit to 2 points with five minutes left. Freshman Cal guard Jeremiah Wilkinson and Stojaković, to the dismay of the crowd, were key contributors.
What once seemed like a decided game quickly turned into a close battle at the free-throw line. In the final five minutes, 12 fouls were called, with both teams already in the bonus. During this stretch, Stanford starting graduate student guard Jaylen Blakes fouled out, forcing junior guard Benny Gealer into the game — only for him to foul out moments later, igniting chants of “Refs, you suck.”
The game came down to the wire, with both teams trading free throws until Agarwal drained a clutch 3-pointer with a minute left to push the lead to two possessions. The advantage was short-lived, as Cal was awarded two fouls on the next two plays, including an and-1 layup from Stojaković.
With the game tied 61-61 and 30 seconds remaining, junior guard Oziyah Sellers rose for a baseline jumper — but it was blocked. Luckily for Stanford, Raynaud was there to save the day, grabbing the ball, drawing a foul and sinking both free throws. Cal had a final chance to tie, but Stojaković missed a layup, allowing Stanford to escape with the victory and improve to 14-2 at home.
Raynaud led all scorers with 20 points, also adding eight rebounds and three blocks. Wilkinson finished with 19 points, six rebounds, and five steals, while Stojaković had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Saturday’s win marked Stanford’s fourth straight victory over Cal, improving its all-time series record to 35-20. The Cardinal will return to Maples Pavilion on Wednesday to host Boston College. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.